I wasn't going to vote for Romney anyway, but that's an interesting fact about him.

Ron Paul is my guy, but it looks as though he's not doing so well in the polls. I'd like to know where Obama stood on this issue, as he is my second choice.

I don't know how Obama officially stands, but I have seen him five times, and three of those times I nursed ds in the front row for pretty much his entire time talking about 6 feet in front of me. The third time I was there (this was the third time in 2 weeks), he remembered me because ds is quite active and noticeable. When I was nursing, he said, "aw, you brought the little man again! my youngest supporter!" So, whether his official stance is pro ebf or banning the bag, at least he was really sweet about it when I had my shirt up (and you could probably tell I was nursing because ds is pretty big and moves around a lot when nursing). He probably thinks I just like to pull my shirt up in front of him, too.

That's how I feel. I'm not voting for someone just becuase of thier bf/family values etc. But to get those laws passed to protect us while nip etc, we need to have a president who will back the state. I'm fortunate enough to live where the state backs you, but we all know a lot of women don't. And when I visit my family and nip, I worry that I'll have to stop when someone asks because I don't have the state on my side to not stop nursing.

You don't have to stop when someone asks, whether you're in a state with legislation specifically protecting breastfeeding or not. You have the right to breastfeed everywhere in the country. When a state passes a law, it is only to clarify that fact.

-Alice, SAHM to dd (2001) and ds (2004) each of whom was a , who each self-weaned at 4.5 years , who both 'd, who were both, and both: . Also, , and !

There has already been a few of these comments, but we all went to an Obama rally this summer. I sat down on the floor to nurse DS and one of the campaign staffers came out of nowhere to offer me a chair and a bottle of water from the campaign & media area. I know that doesn't necessarily say much about the candidate's positions, but I sure did appreciate that staffer!

The impression I got from Paul's statement about birth was that he thought it might be okay for a birth to occur at home in some cases as long as there's a physician present. When he was asked if midwives should be given licenses, his answer was evasive. What he said was that he didn't even think doctors should have to have licenses in order to practice.

Um, yeah, okay, whatever, but I'll bet that when he was a practicing OB he had a license! Under the current legal system, midwives in many states can be arrested for attending births. What he could have said was, "well, I don't think doctors or midwives should have to get licensed, but midwives should be just as legally free to practice as doctors anyway." The fact that he left off the second half of that sentence makes his answer seem like very typical political dodging to me.

It's sort of like a legally married heterosexual answering the question of whether gay people should be allowed to get married by saying something like "well, I don't think anyone should be made to feel like they have to get legally married."

Here’s what Ron Paul said at a political rally in Greenville, North Carolina when asked about licensing midwives:

"But if you can allow it with licensing, that’s slightly better, [than prohibition] the ideal is that people make up their own minds. I am not in favor of government prohibiting people from making private choices. I may have a medical opinion–well, you shouldn’t do this or you shouldn’t do that, but politically, people should make their own choices."

"Mothers have a right to breastfeed where they go with their baby, even if that is out in public. It does not matter whether the mother goes to a public or a private place, or even whether they are in a state with legislation.

"Legislation has been enacted in nearly one-half of the states in the U.S. because they want to clarify this right... Underlying this, is the goal to increase the rates and duration of breastfeeding recognizing that this is an important health choice that must be encouraged."

"It is important to remember that women have a right to breastfeed in public whether there is a law or not. The purpose of legislation is NOT to legalize it, but to clarify the fact that women have the right to breastfeed in public"

"Thus, if you are in a state that does not have legislation, you still have the right to feed your baby where you go."

-Alice, SAHM to dd (2001) and ds (2004) each of whom was a , who each self-weaned at 4.5 years , who both 'd, who were both, and both: . Also, , and !

OK mama, I am going to close this until I can split the law interpretation posts into their own thread. Please be patient. Thanks!

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Okie dokie. I am reopening this. I would like this thread to please stay on topic. That means not only should this thread ONLY focus on breastfeeding issues and the candidates--not their stance on c-sections or their religion or any other rabbit trails--but that the side conversation be taken to the thread called "Breastfeeding Laws and Breastfeeding Rights," which I am off to start now. Please respect the intent of this thread.

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You don't have to stop when someone asks, whether you're in a state with legislation specifically protecting breastfeeding or not. You have the right to breastfeed everywhere in the country. When a state passes a law, it is only to clarify that fact.

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Ron Paul is pro personal liberties. People should do whatever they want to do, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. Breastfeeding would definately fall under that category.

Unless you want to get married to the man/wowan of yor dreams but you happen to Gay. Or perhaps your a 13 year old girl who has found your self pregnant by molestation and can not physically or mentally carry or take care of another life.

Ron Paul is pro personal liberties. People should do whatever they want to do, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. Breastfeeding would definately fall under that category.

True, but libertarians are also anti-regulation. Most libertarians would probably not support laws protecting breastfeeding in private businesses because it would infringe on the business owners' right to select his/her customers. Much like many libertarians have a philosophical objection to the Civil Rights Act.

Of course, I have no idea how Ron Paul feels about this issue personally.

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In the interest of staying on topic , I'd like to clarify that my YAY! was because of his obvious non-committment to the health of babies and mothers and non-support of breastfeeding.

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I've emailed my top choices in cadidates (Clinton & Obama) - some time ago - about the need to change the nation's stance on breastfeeding - by adding breastfeeding to a protected right under the civil rights act, and by changing the surgeon general's information to include the dangers of not breastfeeding, and to ask for federal laws regarding maternal leaves, and to ask for federal protections regarding pumping/bf'ing in the workplace. Sorry this is kooky sounding - lack of sleep last night because of ds.
Take care.